Saratoga Joinery

In this two-session class, students will create an original book stand ideal for use in the kitchen for a recipe book or simply as an artistic display piece. Each participant will create their own unique book stand from a selection of rough cut hardwoods. 

The first session will include an overview of Saratoga Joinery, a review of safety procedures for each machine, and an introduction to the planer, jointer, miter saw and table saw. We will select wood, cut the needed pieces to the desired length with the miter saw, mill the wood smooth on the jointer and planer, and cut those pieces lengthwise to the desired widths with the table saw.  Finally, you will decide on your layout, glue them together and clamp to dry. The projects will be left at Saratoga Joinery to dry.

The second session of the class will include planing the piece to a desired depth, cutting the piece in half and sizing each piece as needed on the table saw, and then an introduction to the hand router to create a slot for the two pieces to fit together.   We will then use the router table to "soften" the edges.  We will sand the entire project smooth and then complete the project with a wood finish.

Tools Used: Planer, Jointer, Miter Saw, Table Saw, Hand Router, Router Table

Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate

This class will take place over two 2.5-hour sessions. Please ensure both dates work for you.

Teacher: Dave Floyd

Dave’s first taste of woodworking came when he helped his parents replace a master bathroom in his childhood home as a teenager. When he and his wife purchased their current home, a 1785 Center Hall Colonial on the Great Sacandaga Lake, he found himself developing his woodworking skills through projects like cabinets, countertops, molding and shelving. Now, as a retired 1st grade teacher, Dave is interested in focusing on more detailed woodworking skills. The woodworking project in Dave’s photo is a black walnut cutting board/lazy Susan with a heart-shaped stone from the Great Sacandaga Lake in the center, on a bed of red epoxy and covered in clear epoxy.

“Saratoga Joinery will be a fantastic hub for collaboration, sharing, and learning…and sanding, lots of sanding…woodworking is 20% fun, 80% sanding.”

-Dave Floyd